Just In Case, You Didn't Know We LOVE You... Teen Suicide Must STOP

We need to mention some names:

Raymond Chase, 19, Providence, RI

Tyler Clementi, 18, Ridgewood, NJ

Seth Walsh, 13, Tehachapi, CA

Billy Lucas, 15, Greensburg, IN

Asher Brown, 13, Houston, TX

These are the young men, in our community, who have taken their life over harassment and abuse about their sexual orientation. It hurts my heart that in 2010 a tragedy of this magnitude would even exist in the world. It is also disheartening to think of all the young men and women who have taken their lives, and the news wasn't reported.

It is time we as a collective group take a stand to stop the violence upon the LGBT community, but more importantly to show love to our younger generation trying to "figure it out." We all know that feeling of questioning our place and value in the world. It is our responsibility to say - YOU MATTER. That is why The Future Forward is here, if for no other reason than to say, we are here and we love OURSELVES, if nobody else does.

We will mourn the loss of these young men, but we will also be empowered by their lives to fight for our right to be heard, respected and loved.

Love and Respect,

Owner of gay club Traxx killed on Atlanta Street

By Project Q Atlanta


An owner of the popular black gay club Traxx Atlanta was shot and killed early Wednesday on a street in southwest Atlanta, according to police and media reports.


Durand Robinson (photo) of Decatur was found lying in the middle of Hadlock Street with a gunshot wound to his chest about 1 a.m. Wednesday. Media reports says Robinson is 50; his Facebook page indicates he is 41.


Family and friends told WSB that Robinson may have been the victim of an attempted carjacking, but Atlanta police say investigators have not determined a motive or named a suspect in the shooting Robinson’s death comes a week before Black Gay Pride, the popular annual event over Labor Day Weekend that draws thousands of people to the city for scores of events. Traxx is sponsoring several official events with In the Life Atlanta, which organizes Black Gay Pride, along with other parties at various clubs including Traxx on Columbia Drive in Decatur.


In the Life Atlanta announced Wednesday that the organization will pay tribute to Robinson during Black Gay Pride’s opening Candlelight Vigil on Sept. 1 at First MCC of Atlanta.

Hit Dwight Allen O'Neal for Being Gay!

So for the past few days I have urged myself not to get angry and to practice forgiveness. In life we many times experience things and we often don’t understand why, I am true testimony that things just seem to happen and there is always a reason. Many of my friends and loved ones have already heard the horrible news about my minor attack on last Wednesday and no one knows of the details; well the time you have been waiting for has finally revealed itself.

So on last Wednesday at around 5:57PM I was heading downtown on the 3 train, when I got on the last car there were about five teenage boys on the train being loud and obnoxious. Living in New York City you become immune to the way that young people act and the way that they carry on, I have seen youth curse at each other, other passengers, fight, wrestle, and everything else when riding the train or walking down the street. When I did get on the train I decided that I would sit on the opposite end of the train and read my book “The Other Side of Paradise” by Stacyann Chin, while reading my book minding my own business and not even looking in the direction of the young boys, I heard them curse at each other, laugh, talk, and wild out in New York City youth’s normal behavior. In this entire process I did not feel concerned, threatened, or frightened at all; when the train entered the 96th street station I noticed the boys were walking in my direction and the first one had a plastic poster covering (lighter than glass, but harder than regular plastic) in his hand rolled up and the next thing I knew was I was being struck by it, immediately following the first blow another individual punched me in my face, I was down instantly. When I came too the doors had closed on the train and a young passenger on the train ran to my aide.

As the young men did run off the train I did hear homophobic remarks and thought back to my recent trip to Miami when a very masculine friend of mine was ashamed to be seen with me in public due to the fashionable garments that I choose to style myself in, mind you I don’t wear women clothing; however I am a fan of v-neck shirts, skinny jeans, and accessories. Him being deep from the south he is not accustomed to men dressing fashionable and defiantly not someone as comfortable with their sexuality as I am.

Honestly I have never been very masculine and New York has just assisted in me learning to accept myself not liberate myself. I remember a conversation where my friend said that Miami is very homophobic and not like New York and I argued back that New York, London, Little Rock, Miami, LA all have people who are just ignorant, homophobia is everywhere. If you cannot deal with my clothes and they alarm you, or my effeminate personality, then you cannot deal with me, because THAT’S WHO I AM AND I AM NOT SORRY THAT I AM NOT SOME BUTCH MASCULINE ACTING MALE! Gone are the days that I will pretend to be someone I am not to satisfy others, that is not loving ME and I love ME to damn much! Loving me has not always been easy, but with soul searching I finally have learned to do so, I just pray for the young men that did this to me, because there is obviously lots of pain that they are dealing with and it made them feel big to hit a grown man and run, I hope I helped a few of their chest hairs grow in. I do forgive them for hurting me, and I pray that before it is too late that they change their thinking on how they view punks, faggots, queers, freaks, homos, or whatever other name they can come up with. I love myself for who I am and I am not changing for anyone.

Thank you to everyone who sent an email, text, instant message or phone call and for all of you who are wondering did I do anything… I did file a report. I love you all and please don’t get mad and feed into this type of behavior, put on your best drag (whatever that may be) and walk with your head high, I will not let these homophobic idiots hold me back. We are GREATER than HATE! I AM LOVE!

Does It Take a Whole Gay Village to Raise Our Own Youth

It takes a whole village to raise a child is an old African Proverb that I would love to see reflected upon all youth. Growing up in Little Rock, Arkansas I was perceived as a young heterosexual man for my entire time living there and it was a lie that I was living, I had known since I was a little boy that I was different and that I felt an attraction toward other boys; however I did not want to be rejected from the village that I was being raised in. In our society we actually teach our children that it is not okay to be different without even realizing it, youth everyday are denying who they are just to fit in. Where is the village that is there to raise our young LGBT youth, since they are being forced out of this other village that society has created?

Earlier this year I heard two horrifying stories about two little boys who took their own lives because their classmates where bullying them because they thought they were gay and I was deeply hurt, because I felt like I was letting down my own. Although I did not personally know either one of these children I saw so much of a young Dwight in them and that was a connection I could not let go of. As I sat on my couch watching Oprah the tears began to run down my face and I revisited the memories I had of children teasing me and the many prayers that I sent up to God asking him to make me normal, this village that I was being raised in had brainwashed me into thinking that there was something wrong with me and that I would go to Hell for me being the way that I am. In my adult life I want to be that support system that teaches youth through my example that it is okay for you to be different, it is okay that you may not want to play sports with the other boys or with baby dolls with the other girls, God created each of us all differently.

As a young person it is very important to see role models that you admire, so that they can aspire to be great, it was not to long ago that some of the first black shows reached television and people of color old and young were very excited to see themselves on TV. One show in particular that comes to mind was The Cosby Show that showcased a very successful African American family that reflected the African American community positively, as a young black boy that meant a lot to me and I wanted to be just as successful; however I began to get sad as I struggled with my sexuality and had no one to see in a positive light to help me with those difficult feelings, questions, or curiosities. This is why I have put so much effort in my own work, such as my series targeted at young LGBT Christopher Street (which has been tagged as a gay 90210), my reality dating show Dating Dwight (which shows that gay men do more than just have sex), and my blog Dishin’ It with Dwight (which highlights different topics from entertainment, fashion, and self empowerment topics) powered by The Future Forward.net. I have put so much effort in all of these works to create positive images of gay men of color, so our youth can see themselves in the media doing great things. I want to be their gay Michael Jordan, Madonna, or Beyonce’ I want gay youth of all colors to look at me and say if Dwight Allen O’Neal can do it, so can I.

The catch phrase for my series Christopher Street is “How many people does it take to hold a street together.” By saying that we are recreating the old African Proverb and urging the LGBT community to come together and mold our youth, because our mainstream community many times fail them and if they do fail them we should be there to help our own and offer them love, support, and most importantly acceptance.

TODAY: March Against Hate Crimes In Queens!

In response to the vicious gay-bashing attack against Jack Price, a 49-year-old out, proud gay man living in College Point, Queens, there will be a protest March and Rally this afternoon. The March will begin at 2 PM at College Point Blvd. and 20th Avenue in College Point, Queens. The March will then proceed up College Point Blvd., past the scene of the attack on 18th Avenue, and contnue to the Rally and Speak Out site at Poppenhusen Playground on 14th Avenue and College Point Blvd.

You can reach the March via the 7 train to Main Street, then take a Q65 bus to 20th Avenue. Please bring signs without wooden sticks, your friends, and your spirit of solidarity with Jack Price. A second suspect has been apprehended by the NYPD and Norfolk, Virginia police, at a relative's home in Norfolk, where the suspect ran immediately following the beating. Watch the shocking video of the attack below, then make your plans to join me and your neighbors at today's March. We will send a message to those who might think their hatred and bigotry will make us run in fear: we will not run and hide, like those who attacked Mr. Price. We will not live in fear. We are who we are, and we will never tolerate atrocities like this. Be there.

Rashawn Brazell's Killer Is Still Out There; Where are We?

Almost five years have passed since Rashawn Brazell was brutally murdered in Brooklyn, and parts of his body were scattered in a subway tunnel not far from his home. Rashawn was a bright, promising 19-year old gay man of color who met an awful demise. In the 50+ months since this happened, there have been no leads and no arrests in this case. There have been a few protest marches, attended by some concerned citizens, but in numbers far fewer than there should have been. We go, and keep going, to parties, fashion shows, clubs, and Pride Festivals in numbers that show our true presence in society, but when it comes time to raise our voices for our fallen, where are we?

I spoke at a memorial march for Rashawn that was held on a beautiful Spring afternoon--a Saturday--with the NYPD actually on our side for once. (Their issue was the detectives weren't getting the resources they needed.) The subway and LIRR were running on time, and the cops very dutifully closed off Fulton street in Brooklyn, a major thoroughfare, so we could march. Yet, despite picture-perfect conditions, only about 150 people showed up. This, out of an LGBT community in New York City, that runs to the hundreds of thousands. Case in point: I attended the annual Pride In The City Beach Party a couple of summers ago. Held at Riis Beach, in Rockaway, where I used to live, I can tell you it was jam-packed with gays and lesbians of color from everywhere. In 30 years, I've never seen a Rockaway beach so crowded. But when it comes time to raise our voices for our fallen, where are we?

Consider that each gay man of color becomes a potential target every time they venture forth into our streets. The larger society is generally indifferent to our issues, and often ignores our deaths by violence. When Imette St. Guillen, a young, white collegian, was allegedly killed by a big black bouncer, the story lived for days on the front pages of the newspapers here. Yet, the story of Rashawn Brazell's murder was carried on inside pages of all three dailies, for one day. Rashawn's death was not decried by leaders of color such as Rev. Al Sharpton, or City Councilman Charles Barron. There was no fiery sermon by Rev. Calvin Butts in his Harlem church. Mayor Bloomberg did not hold a press conference on the steps of City Hall, pledging the full resources of the NYPD to hunt down Brazell's killer. All the while, most of the gay community of color, was also made conspicuous by its absence. Where are our prominent LGBT leaders? When it comes time to raise our voices for our fallen, where are we?

Somewhere in the dark shroud of night, Rashawn Brazell's killer walks the streets, the blood in his veins as icy as the wind which howls outside our houses. He (or she!) walks free, uncaring, remorseless, and ignored. He walks with a deadly step; perhaps you or I may be in his clutches tomorrow. Lacking the will to protest, we aid and abet the killer as he searches, and maybe finds, his next hapless victim. We are the interested parties in getting this killer caught, and society will not care a whit whether this actually occurs. Only we can help see to it that Rashawn's killer meets his due punishment at the bar of justice. When it comes time to raise our voices for our fallen, where are we?


A killer is getting away with murder. Rashawn's family has lost a son. We as a community need to make plain that this is unacceptable, even as society often tells us we are unacceptable. It's high time, well past time for us to raise our voices as I know only we can. Rashawn deserves no less than justice, and only we in the LGBT community can make it happen.